Gute Gründe EN

Our work

Flüchtlinge Willkommen (Refugees Welcome) is a digital platform that brings flatshares and refugees together. We provide assistance on questions of co-habitation and financial solutions for private rooms for refugees. Flüchtlinge Willkommen criticises state-driven housing policies that force refugees into camps where they are subject to marginialisation and invisibilisation. Flüchtlinge Willkommen supports decentralised housing solutions for refugees. Through our work, we aspire to contribute to nurturing an open society based on principles of solidarity and equality of all.

One of our core principles as an organisation is that no one is illegal.

How you can help

You want to ease the arrival and re-settlement of a refugee in Germany? You’ve got a spare room in your flatshare?

How it all began

Mareike Geiling and Jonas Kakoschke decided in autumn 2014 to offer one room in their private flatshare to a refugee. Soon after, Golde Ebding, who shared their ideas of building a wider, nation-wide platform based on this very concept, joined the young team. A month later, Bakary, a young Malian man, was able to move in for six months into Mareike’s and Jonas’ flatshare – the first successful matching made by Flüchtlinge Willkommen.

By now, Flüchtlinge Willkommen has offices in Berlin, Hamburg, Leipzig and Munich as well as an international network, based on the core concept of the project, which runs under the label Refugees Welcome International.

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Details EN

1. Register your flatshare

Housing refugees in private accommodation provides advantages for everyone: refugees are able to live in sound accommodation, learn the language faster, and adjust to a new environment more easily. You, on the other hand, will get to know a different culture and help a person in a difficult situation. If you want to take part in this project, sign up here. We will put you in touch with a refugee who fits you and your flatshare. When you register your flatshare, we will ask you for some more details about your living situation, such as the number of flatmates, the languages you speak, your city and surroundings etc. Such information will help us match hosts with refugees.

2. We’ll get in touch with you

Following your registration, we will help you find a suitable flatmate for you. Once we have identified someone suitable, we will put you both in touch with each other so that you can get to know each other. If everybody is happy, the refugee will move in shortly after. Our FAQ explains you why a meeting between refugee and potential flatmates should happen as soon as possible.

3. Starting the funding process

There are many options to finance the rent for a room. From our experience, we recommend micro-donations: several people who provide small donations on a monthly basis. We sent e-mail requests to friends and acquaintances, and within two weeks we were able to ensure the rent for a whole year. The commitments range between 3€ and 50€ per month, using monthly bank transfers or up-front donations. Another option is to use an established platform to crowdfund. Several federal states in Germany (for example, Berlin) offer support for refugees to move out of camps and help finance the new residence. Thus, if a refugee with approved residency status moves into a flatshare in Berlin, the rent should generally be paid for by the federal state. However, there are different regulations for every federal state. Contact us for more information!

4. Here we go!

After you get to know each other, your new flatmate will move in. We will support you during this time and will be there for any questions that might arise. You can always approach a local refugee organisation, such as the matching body. Many of these provide language courses, help with connecting to the community or provide support in the search for internships or admission to university classes.

Frequently Asked Questions

For Refugees

Flatshares are housing situations where people who aren’t related or involved with each other share an apartment. Within such a flatshare, everyone has their own room and shares in addition communal spaces such as a kitchen, bathroom and living room, which can be used by all flatmates. Living in a flatshare means everyone has equal tenancy rights. While all flatmates live an independent life and are in no way obliged to spend time with each other, people might occasionally cook together, go out or take part in social activities.

Living space is offered by private individuals. This could be students, families, or single people of all ages who decide to offer a room in order to share the rent, or because they simply enjoy the company of others.

Rent will either be paid by the job centre, the social security office, Refugees Welcome, or the room will be free of charge. In any case, you don’t have to pay anything. Living together is unconditional and no one expects you to do anything in exchange, like babysitting, caring for the elderly, cleaning etc.

A buddy is someone you will meet before you are introduced to your potential flatmates. They will accompany you to the first meeting and will help you to decide whether to move in or not. They will also be available to help you if you have any other questions about flat shares.

During the first meeting you and the potential flatmates can get to know each other and you have the opportunity to also view the room in question. There is usually a buddy present when you view the flat. After the viewing you can decide whether you would like to take the room. You are never obliged to say yes; instead, you can decide freely if you want to move in or not.

Unfotunately not all flatshares are free of racism but we try to exclude problematic people or flats as early on as possible. If you should encounter any racism despite this, please contact us immediately. Of course you can practice your religion.

In most flatshares each flatmate buys and prepares their own food. Sometimes you might also cook together. A lot of flatshares have a cleaning plan that all flatmates nees to stick to. This only relates to the communal areas and defines whose turn it is to clean. Keeping your room tidy and clean is your own responsibility. Normally there will not be a cleaner.

Yes, you can maintain your eating habits and do not need to eat anything that you don’t like or that doesn’t conform with your faith or conviction. Many people in Germany decide to not consume meat (vegetarians) or any animal products (vegans) for ecological and political reasons rather than religious beliefs.

For Flatsharer

As most refugees live in a very uncertain situation, you should be relatively flexible with regards to your plans. Refugees often have a hard time making long term plans. It might happen that you only get to know your new flatmates days before he or she moves in. According to experience, preparatory communication with us takes 2 – 4 weeks and assures that important questions and major issues are clarified in advance.

This is, first of all, up to you. For the refugee not to have to remain in another state of uncertainty and be able to plan ahead to a certain degree, we arrange placements only for a minimum period of three months or more. For shorter periods of time, we can possibly forward you to other facilities or institutions. Placements with a cost coverage by responsible public offices can only be managed by us for a placement time of 6 months or more.

We think that the refugee should live under the same conditions as the rest of the flatmates. For this reason we will only accept accomodations which can offer the refugee his or her own room. Understanding that placing refugees into homes is about living together, we do not arrange placements in vacant apartments.

In this case the same will happen as in any other shared flat: You try to find a solution together – if necessary we will help out. A buddy accompanies each placement process as an additional contact person. If this does not work, there is the possibility to dissolve the housing situation.

If he or she “legally“ resides in Germany it depends on your federal state how difficult or easy it will be for him or her to move from a mass accommodation to your flat. However, we want to encourage you also to welcome “illegal“ refugees.

This depends on many factors. The best scenario is that you decide to continue living together after the planned time and the flatmate begins to feel settled in Germany. It would also be great if the refugee could use new language skills to increase their options in accomondation and employment. Hopefully, sharing your home with a refugee will help broaden their prospects and welcome them to the country.

No, “Refugees Welcome“ is a non-profit organisation. Our core team is paid by donations. However, you can support our work with a donation to the association Mensch Mensch Mensch which carries this project. Our bank details are:
Mensch Mensch Mensch e.V.
IBAN: DE88430609671167120500
BIC: GENODEM1GLS
We can provide donation receipts.

Video EN

The “Refugees Welcome” team

Mareike Geiling

Co-Founder, Head of Public Relations & Internationalisation

Mareike Geiling studied for an MA in Religion & Culture in Berlin. She has engaged with various initiatives including running German language courses for migrants with no residency status in Berlin. During her time in Cairo 2014-15 a refugee from Mali lived in the flat she shared with Jonas Kakoschke. Mareike runs our Media and Public Relations department. As Community-Manager she also mentors our new and existing volunteer supporters and develops concepts for expanding support opportunities. She supports our host groups after a refugee moves in. At the same time she is responsible for planning and implementing the international expansion of the project.

Jonas Kakoschke

Co-Founder, Head of Internationalisation & Graphic Design

Jonas Kakoschke studied communications design in Berlin and as part of his studies founded the project Pfandgeben.de, which has gained national attention across the media. This led to an emphasis on social innovation and project development. From December 2014 to May 2015 Jonas shared his flat with a young man who had fled from Mali. Jonas is responsible for the supervision of the website, online team-tools and the conception and graphical development of all group and project resources. Together with Mareike he is running the international expansion of the project. Additionally he coordinates our cooperation with other initiatives and with external partners.

Golde Ebding

Co-Founder & Outreach Officer

Golde Ebding is a qualified social worker and was employed by the church welfare service from April to September 2014 to support asylum seekers at the Oranienplatz in Berlin, during the course of which she gained considerable experience and skills in refugee issues. In 2013 she had already published a work on the topic: "Flucht nach vorn?!: Lebenslinien von Flüchtlingen" (“Desperate measures?!: Refugees’ Lifelines”). Golde coordinates the practical arrangements for accommodation. She advises the host groups on legal and financial matters, organises the setting up of our nationwide partner network, and establishes contact with asylum seekers.

Sophie Mirow

Programme Coordinator North & Internationalisation

Sophie studied International Relations and Conflict Studies in Maastricht and London. She previously worked for Save the Children, Human Rights Watch and the Khmer Rouge Tribunal (ECCC) in Phnom Penh. She is responsible for the allocation of refugees in Hamburg, Bremen and Lower Saxony, English-language public relations and manages the internationalisation of our programme.

Mirjam Rosenthal

Programme Coordinator & Finance Officer

Mirjam completed a MA in Global Studies in Berlin, Buenos Aires and New Delhi, where she focused on global migration, sustainable development and social inequalities. She is engaged in internationalism and inter-cultural dialogue. Mirjam is responsible for the allocation of refugees in North Rhine Westphalia and manages our fundraising and finances.

Hafid Shaaib

Programme Coordinator East

Hafid studied Design in Libya. Ever since he arrived as a refugee in Germany 13 years ago, he's been engaged in refugee-related work. Part of his engagement includes the support and care of traumatised refugees. He also worked as a translator and interpreter for RAA Saxony and was actively involved in combating right-wing violence in East Germany. Hafid organised a number of local events to connect refugees with locals. He runs the Flüchtlinge Willkommen office in Leipzig and is responsible for matchings in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia.

Sinthujan Varatharajah

Programme Coordinator & Social Media Officer

Sinthujan is a doctoral student in Political Geography at UCL in London, where he studies refugee camp spaces. He holds degrees in Race, Ethnicity and Postcolonial Studies as well as Human Rights and Politics. Sinthujan specialises on race, ethnicity and asylum and works towards the centring of marginal voices. His writings have appeared in several English-language publications. He is responsible for the allocation of refugees in Berlin, Hesse and Saxony, English-language public relations and manages our social media handles.

Susanne Bruch

Programme Coordinator & Refugee Buddy Coordinator

Susanne holds a MSc in International Migration and Public Policy from the LSE and specialised on issues of integration. She previously worked as a volunteer for the Notre Dame Refugee Centre London amongst other organisations with refugees and supported immigrant youths with their academic work. Susanne is responsible for the allocation of refugees in Berlin and heads our refugee buddy programme.

Sarah Schlack

Programme Coordinator & Support Manager

Sarah is currently completing her MA in Political Science at the Free University of Berlin. As part of her BA, she studied in Istanbul and Tehran. She previously organised Farsi, English and German language courses for refugees in Berlin and Istanbul. Sarah is responsible for the allocation of refugees in Berlin and manages our programme supporters.